Employers must Provide Workers with the means to Protect Themselves from Pesticide Poisonings //

Farmworkers are exposed to pesticides in a variety of ways

– direct spray, spray that drifts from its target, contact with pesticide residues on the crop or soil, spills, splashes, or defective, missing or inadequate protective equipment. Farmworkers’ children and other family members are often indirectly exposed to pesticides through residue on workers or through pesticide drift. Pesticide handlers – the workers who mix, load, and apply pesticides— are at especially high risk of coming into direct contact with pesticides. //

Graciela lives in the small community of Pierson, Florida. Despite its size, Pierson still manages to hold the title of “fern capital of the world.” Low-hanging tarps stretch over a vast area of land providing the shelter for ferns, destined for the global flower market, to grow. The humid climate and long hours of direct sunlight in this area of Florida provide an ideal environment for this greenery to flourish. Long-time Pierson residents recall that ferneries began as far back as the 1920s, and soon became the staple industry. Because of the strength of the ferneries, immigrant communities flocked to this area building a solid workforce for the busy production of ferns. Graciela’s family moved to this area of Florida when she was a young girl.

“I remember heading to the ferneries throughout my summer vacation with my mother. At the beginning, I would play with my friends. We would race through the long rows, and sometimes when the sprinklers went on we would rush under them, trying to cool down our bodies.”

The sprinklers Graciela mentions are often used in chemigation–the channeling of pesticides through sprinklers or irrigation pipes. Often farmworkers, and children especially, aren’t aware that this water could actually contain dangerous chemicals.

As Graciela grew older, she began to work alongside her mother, carefully and quickly cutting the bundles of ferns with sharp shears. Eventually Graciela married and had two daughters. And just as her mother had done, she brought her own children with her to the ferneries.

“It seemed to make the most sense to me. I remember as a young girl how much loved running and playing in the lush ferns. I also thought it was really important to spend as much time with my daughters as possible. didn’t want to leave

Protective clothing is often ineffective at preventing exposure.21 Mechanisms do exist that reduce pesticide handlers’ exposure. The WPS should be revised to require the use of engineered equipment or technology to create a physical barrier preventing pesticides from coming into direct contact with pesticide handlers. For example, rather than have workers spray pesticides on fields while sitting in the open cab of a truck, the WPS should require enclosed cab equipment and a ventilation system.

When workers handle organophosphate and N-methyl carbamate pesticides, two particularly dangerous classes of pesticides, employers should give workers the option of blood tests to monitor exposure to these neurotoxic chemicals before symptoms

Graciela’s Story

Pierson, Florida //

“Ever since I was a little girl I worked; first in Mexico and then here in Florida. I always thought that work was a good thing, something that built character. But I didn’t realize that someday work would be the cause of so much pain in my family.” them in daycare all day (nor could I afford to) so the obvious solution was to bring them with me.”

Graciela brought her two daughters, Ana and Celia, to work with her regularly until Celia was diagnosed with leukemia at the tender age of 15.

“I am so grateful my daughter has been in remission for two years now but I feel so guilty. I wonder every day if my daughter’s sickness could have been my fault. My heart hurts when think that my daughter could have died, and this would have been my responsibility.”

Doctors told Graciela that it was hard to know exactly what caused the leukemia, but that her daughter’s exposure to toxic chemicals, and certainly from a very young age, created a situation of heightened risk for her.

“I think now about how the very nature of cutting ferns exposes me to pesticides. First of all, we are working under these tarps every day, and because they are so low down, the chemicals can’t really escape into the air. And in order to cut the ferns and get those nice long stems that we need, we have to put our faces practically down into them. I realize now how dangerous this is. We are breathing in those pesticides all day long, and how could they not cause us harm.” or illness. California and Washington have implemented a system to monitor workers who handle these types of pesticides. The number of poisonings involving these pesticides has gone down considerably.22

If Graciela and her family had been fully informed about the health effects of pesticides and how to avoid exposure, they would not have risked the health of their children. Hazard communication and prevention can have far reaching impacts across generations of farmworker families.

Pesticide residues are often invisible and odorless, so workers are not always aware of exposures.

Notably, in employment sectors other than crop production, medical monitoring of workers who handle these pesticides is routine, recommended, and often mandatory.23 For example, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a cholinesterase health-monitoring program that is mandatory for all employees of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service whose responsibilities include potential exposure to organophosphate and carbamate pesticides.24

Re-Entry Intervals (REIs) can last anywhere between 4 hours and 30 days, depending on the toxicity of the pesticide, the crop, the pesticide used, and the location. Most REI violations occur because of a lack of notification to farmworkers.